Can opener



Nov. 16, 1954 w, WRIGHT ET AL CAN OPENER Filed March 5, 1955 INVENTORI) mans a. wnlanr BY GEORGEDONALD man AT'IY.

CAN OPENER Warren B. Wright and George Donald Ryan, Qpportunity, Wash; said Ryan assignor to said Wright Application March 5, 1953-, Serial No. 340,442 4 Claims. (Cl. 30-61) This invention is a can opener.

One object of the invention is to provide a can opener with a treadle adapted to actuate the opener for its can-piercing movement.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a can opener having a tubular venting needle for initially perforating a can to vent its internal pressure and a punching die for subsequently forming a pouring hole.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a can opener having the improved venting and opening head and a treadle which is initially engaged to actuate the opener for its opening movement and thence adapted to be released from the can opener to permit a spring to shift the opener away from the can freeing the opened can for removal.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts,

Figure l is a view partially in cross section and partially in vertical side elevation showing the improved can opener;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section taken through the head of the can opener and upon an enlarged scale;

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the can supporting shelf; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the treadle-latch means for releasably engaging the lower end of the canopening head supporting shaft, whereby the opener is actuated.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, we have shown the can opener as comprising a vertically disposed supporting frame which appears channelshaped in horizontal cross section and has its spaced flanges 11 extending rearwardly. A vertically reciprocable channel-shaped shaft 12 is mounted between the flanges 11 and is supported for movement by means of transversely extending horizontal pins 13 which have their ends supported in the flanges 11 and their bodies extend ing through vertical slots 14 formed in the shaft 12.

The shaft 12 terminates at its upper end with a substantially semi-circular arcuate portion 15 which defines a head for the can punch and carries at its free end a punching die 16 removably secured thereto by means of set bolt 17. Within the are 15 we have provided a block 18 which is releasably secured to the head by means of bolts 19 and which serves a three-fold purpose. First, the block serves to strengthen the are 15 against straightening pressure. Secondly, the block is bored as at 20 and 21 to form vent passages. The bore 21 is internally threaded to receive the upper threaded end of the tubular venting needle 22. The bores are provided to convey any fluid discharged by the internal pressure within a can being opened to a conduit discharging into a suitable receptacle or sump. And thirdly, the block 18 supports the venting needle 22 in position for perforating the can C to be opened.

The venting needle 22 is provided with a pointed lower end as at 23 and has a diametrically disposed eye 24 communicating with the hollow center 25 of the needle 22. Therefore, as the needle perforates the top T of the can C, any internal pressure present in the can will be vented or exhausted through the eye 24, the hollow center 25 and the bores 20 and 21 to a suitable conduit 26 leading to the point of discharge. The point 23 of 'Unim 3 Pa n '0 "ice 'point 23 and seals any pressure-attempting to escape prior to the eye 24 being communicated with thearea within the can. As the needle progresses downwardly, sleeve 28 compresses as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2. 1

An involute spring 29 is secured at 30 to one or both flanges 11 and has a forwardly extending arm 31 united with the shaft 12 to bias the shaft upwardly and remove the punching die and needle from a can previously opened and to maintain the can opener in position for use.

A supporting shelf 32 is carried by the frame 10 for supporting the can in position and is provided with a V-shaped can receptacle 33 having under-cut side edges as at 34 adapted to receive the external flange F at the lower end of the can C, thus preventing the can from being lifted with the can opener during its upward movement.

To actuate the can opener, we have provided a treadle 35 which is carried by a plate 36 secured to the floor and/or to the lower end of the frame 10 by any suitable means, and the treadle is pivotally united at 37 to the plate. The forward end 38 of the treadle is pivotally united at 37 to the plate. The forward end 38 of the treadle is bifurcated and pivotally carries a latch 39 having a downwardly disposed cam 40 and an upwardly spaced hook 41. The lower end of the shaft 12 is provided with a transversely extending horizontal pin 42 which cooperates with the hook 41 of the latch 39. Therefore, as pressure is applied to the treadle the shaft 12 is moved downwardly causing the venting needle 22 and the punching die 16 to open a can as previously described.

At completion of this opening movement, the cam 40 strikes a cam actuator 43 carried by the plate 36 and the cooperating cam and cam actuator cause the latch 39 to pivot counterclockwise as shown, disengaging the hook 41 from the pin 42 and permitting spring 29 to shift the shaft 12 upwardly separating the head 15 from the can C. When the pressure is released from the treadle 35, spring 44 urges the forward end of the treadle upwardly, again engaging the latch 39 with the pin 42.

The upper free end of the spring 44 is provided with a loop and depending resilient finger extension 45 which bears against the latch 39 urging it into hooking engagement with the pin 42.

An elongated bill 46 extends upwardly from the hook 41 to bear against the pin 42 and prevent the hook from being shifted under the pin 42 by means of spring finger 45.

Having thus described the invention, we claim:

1. A can opener comprising a vertically disposed supporting frame; a vertically reciprocable shaft slidably carried by said frame and terminating in a substantially semi-circular arcuate end portion at its upper end; a vertically tiltable treadle at the lower end of said frame and initially engaged with said shaft, whereby said shaft may be selectively reciprocated; a punching die removably secured to the free end of said arcuate portion and disposed to open a can supported thereunder; and a venting needle carried by said arcuate portion and disposed in advance of said die to perforate said can before the punchingl die, said needle having an axial bore open at both en s.

2. The combination with a piercing type can opener; of an elongated tubular venting needle secured relative to said opener with its perforating point in advance of the opener and disposed to perforate a wall of a can prior to the pouring spout opener during the piercing movement; sequentially to vent internal pressure at a point remote from the can.

3. A foot operated can opener comprising a supported shelf for positioning a can to be opened; a reciprocable shaft having a head at its upper end movable toward and resiliently biased away from said shelf; said head having a needleadapted to initially perforate the can and vent its internal pressure, and a can punch for subsequently forming a pouring hole; a vertically tiltable treadle pivotally supported relative to said can opener and resiliently urged to an upwardly tilted posi' vtion; and a latch carried by said treadle and releasably engageable to actuate said head.

4. A foot operated can opener comprising a supported shelf for positioning a can to be opened; a reciprocable shaft having a head at its upper end movable toward and resiliently biased away from said shelf; a pouring hole forming punch die releasably carried by said head 1 and disposed to form a pouring hole in a can; a tubular venting needle spaced from said die and disposed in advance of said die, to initially perforate the can and vent its internal pressure; a releasable block forming a part of said head and carrying said needle and having a port therein communicating with said tubu ing the fluid vented from the means for actuating said head References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number lar needle for dischargcan; and a foot operated D Farrell Aug. 27 Mendenhall May 9, 1916 Roos Mar. 10, 1925 Bernelmans June 24, 1930 Lofgren Apr. 10, 1934 Lyons Aug. 10, 1937 Adler Dec. 19, 1939 Jones Apr. 28, 1953 

